


I'll Keep You Safe, I Promise

by IrxnStrxnge



Series: IronStrange Week 2019 [4]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, Character Death, Denial, Goodbyes, M/M, Serious Injuries, Stephen Strange Needs a Hug, The Avengers Are Good Bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-13 05:59:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18934855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrxnStrxnge/pseuds/IrxnStrxnge
Summary: IronStrange Week 2019 | Prompt Four: Bedside VigilIronStrange Bingo 2019 | Prompt: Rest“I’ll take care of you, don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe, I promise. You just rest now.”





	I'll Keep You Safe, I Promise

“It’s alright, Tony. Everything will be alright.” 

Stephen leans over the unresponding body to press a quick kiss to his cold-ish forehead. The doctors somehow had managed to make him look presentable. They had cleaned all the blood off him; all the dirt and other vile stuff.    
  
The cuts are still there but since his body is covered by a thin blanket, only the ones on his face are visible. He looks… alright. Yes, he looks alright.    
  
“I’m sorry.”, he tells him, voice soft and quiet. “I promise that next time I won’t be too late.” Stephen means it. He should have been there, should have managed to get him to safety in time. It wasn’t his duty, it wasn’t his job. Tony is Iron Man after all. He can take care of himself.

Except he didn’t.    
  
The bomb had hit him full force, knocking him across the whole battlefield. By the time Stephen had managed to get him out of the evaporated suit, Tony had been unconscious. Maybe he had been immediately knocked out by the impact. Stephen hoped he had.    
  
“Don’t worry.”, he continues to whisper while brushing some of Tony’s greasy hair off his forehead. “I got you.” 

Pepper had visited earlier. She had cried and talked to Tony, or at him since there hadn’t been a word from the man since he was brought into the hospital; since Stephen had failed to save him. She had also spoken with him. Well, at him. Again.    
  
But he had been too busy taking care of the other man. They can talk later when Tony is feeling better and back on his feet.    
  
Rhodey had visited, too but hadn’t talked to Tony. He had just stood there, eyes wet and a supporting hand on the sleeping man’s arm. He had left without ever uttering a word and Stephen had been grateful for it.

There is a sound coming from the entrance of the room and when he turns his head to check it out, he finds Steve and Natasha standing in the doorway, grim looks on their faces. Stephen watches them for a moment before turning back and taking Tony’s hand in his own. His scarred fingers brush lightly over the bruised and bloody knuckles, shaking slightly.

“What do you want?”, he asks after a few moments of tense silence, eyes never leaving the other man’s face. “He needs to rest.” There are steps echoing behind him, too many to just belong to Natasha and Steve. He glances back to see the whole team stepping into the room.    
  
“We are just here to see him.”, Steve starts to explain, for once very careful in choosing his words. “You know, we want to say-” He stops but Stephen’s eyes are back on Tony so he doesn’t know why.

Then Natasha speaks up.

“Pepper told us that you are here. We wanted to see if you needed anything.” He was sure that he had never heard her speak so softly, he didn’t even know she was capable of speaking like this. “She is worried.”

“I am okay, just waiting for Tony to wake up.” He really doesn’t want them here. They have a right to be, of course, they are his teammates after all, but that doesn’t mean he has to like it.   
  
There is a part of him that wants to blame them for the incident but he knows that it’s not their fault. It’s no one’s fault, really but it’s hard not to have anyone to blame. 

There is more silence and it reaches the point where he thinks that they somehow left without making a sound - but then Bruce stands beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Listen, Stephen, why don’t you come around my place sometime tomorrow?” He gives him a tight smile that doesn’t reach his eyes and Stephen’s brow furrow.    
  
“I don’t think I can. Tony is going to need me.” Bruce nods and pats his shoulder.    
  
“Of course. Only if you think you can manage - but please try. I think I will be able to help a little. You don’t look well.” Stephen wants to throw something snarky back at him but he hasn’t slept in a long time and judging by the smell he emits - Bruce is probably right.   


“Alright, I’ll try.”    
  
“Good. We’ll just say a quick hi to Tony and then we’ll be on our way.”    
  
Stephen isn’t sure if Bruce is indirectly asking for his permission but he nods anyway, just to be sure. They all are a team. They can visit and talk to him anytime they want. Stephen would never deny Tony a visit from his friends.    
  
One after another, they all step next to the bed, all under his watchful gaze. Clint is first, then Thor and Bruce. Steve is next and the way he brushes Tony’s hair back rubs Stephen just the wrong way but he only tightens his grip on the sleeping man’s hand and stays quiet.    
  
Natasha is the last one to lean down and talk to him. She has a small smile on her face but just like Bruce, he can see that it’s not reflecting in her eyes. She whispers something in his ear and then presses a kiss to his cheek.    
  
Stephen mutters a little “Thanks” to her because Tony likes kisses on his cheek and would definitely appreciate it. She turns her head towards him and nods before straightening her back and rejoining the others.    
  
“Stephen-”, Steve starts again but Bruce and Natasha usher him outside the room. The 2 leave and after one last glance back Clint joins them. Thor is the last one inside and Stephen is almost sure that he will say something to him - or to Tony, he’s not sure.    
  
And, indeed, his mouth opens but no words come out. He stays like that for a moment - until he closes it again and exits the room, leaving Stephen alone yet again.    
  
It’s okay, though. He can watch over Tony by himself. It’s okay. He presses another kiss to his forehead - and to his cheek because Tony loves cheek kisses. 

“I’ll take care of you, don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe, I promise. You just rest now.”    
  
His spoken pledge is quite but he’s sure that Tony hears it.

He falls asleep hours later, in the middle of the night, when finally his body can’t take the sleep depravity anymore. His hand remains intervened with Tony’s.

His dream is not so different from reality. Their hands are still laced together except that Tony is smiling and laughing at him. It’s such a deep and rich sound and Stephen simply loves it, just like he loves him.   
  
Tony pulls him close for a kiss and Stephen can taste finally _him_ again and not the blood and dirt he had tasted earlier.  

They are so close, chest pressed against each other. Stephen smiles when he feels Tony squeeze his hand.

He smiles even brighter when he feels Tony’s heart beating against his chest, strong and loud - as if it's shooting straight through his body to his own heart, connecting them both, holding them together. 

He closes his eyes and feels it once, twice - right before it flatlines.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry that this is so short but I really can't handle writing Angst.


End file.
